Porn-Again Christian

        I cannot recall the first moment I entered the world of pornography. A world where every girl wanted you and obeyed your every command. The rush to my brain was like a shot of heroine through my veins. Every click on the computer mouse drove me deeper into counterfeit ecstasy. For a long time I felt as though I was the only man who has struggled with porn. What I discovered is that not only was I not the only man, but millions of men (and women) are addicted to porn across the country. Ten billion is spent on pornography yearly in America. That's more than the combined revenue of pro football, basketball and baseball combined. It isn't just in the "secular" community either. Five out of ten men in church admit to struggling with porn. I'll be the first to admit that porn isn't the easiest topic to discuss. Talking about porn will blush cheeks and make conservatives squirm. Even though It's tough, I believe it's a secret that needs to be brought from your computer room and into the light.

                   What is porn? I believe that Porn and can be defined along with the definition of lust. Anything that triggers a sexual desire. An image doesn't have to contain nudity to be porn. There isn't a difference between soft core and hardcore porn in the realm of lust. Anything that causes you to fantasize anything sexual is porn. From playboy to sports illustrated. Even movies, music videos and TV shows that cause you to think impure thoughts. There isn't a "better" version of porn to watch. It's all equally degrading to women and damaging to a persons mind. Porn is an inescapable cornerstone of society. From youth you are told that porn is a part of "growing up."  And to a certain extent they are right. Everyone at one point or another has struggled with porn. Whether its a book that causes to struggle or a magazine article. It all can be labelled porn if it causes you to stumble. What we see in porn is a highly stylized veil that hides an awful truth.

                 When we watch porn, we are seeing what the camera wants us to see. The sad truth is what we're not seeing. Stories of women abused, raped and enslaved fill the news. Sex trafficking is on the rise and porn is to thank. Women will wear a smile for the camera and hide the true nature of their situation. This is the reason that porn is so addictive. Women of porn are always ready and willing to "fulfil" your every need. No need for romance or true love. Women are portrayed as pounds of flesh with the sole purpose of sexual gratification. They are devoid of value and purpose. They are alive only to please your whims. This is an extremely volatile property of porn. You can be a God and rule over these women. They will never say no. And no matter how hard you try to quit porn on your own, neither can you. Accountability and community are curse words in the world of porn.  "Keep your Dirty Little Secret to yourselves. Put on a smile at church and act like you have it all together." This mindset is a cancer that will eat you from within. Transparency is essential to victory in this area. This is ultimately a battle for your soul.

                   This battle can be found in the Story of Hosea and Gomer. It helps paint the picture of our struggle from the view of God. God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute and he obeys. She runs away countless times and even has to be purchased back at one point. This is the picture we paint when we indulge in our addictions. We play the prostitute giving ourselves away.  We wander away from God's purpose for us when we sit behind our computer. In the end we had to be purchased back in Jesus' blood. (1 Corinthians 6:20) Jesus didn't die for us to spend our days invested into porn with our pants around our ankles. He died for us to have a real relationship with God and for us to have real relationships with people. Porn isn't an interactive industry. They allow you to have an imaginary encounters with the promise of satisfaction. They only provide instant gratification with a momentary sense of fulfilment. Porn is just another plug for the God-shaped hole in your heart.

               This post is a call to action. We need to start living out in the open. Real relationships may be harder than porn but they are infinitely more satisfying. This is God's true purpose for our lives. Loving Him and loving people. Don't rely on your own will power to beat your addiction. Instead, rely on God's river of Grace and accountability. This will undoubtedly be one of the most difficult processes in your life. Its not the struggle that is the issue, its when you stop struggling. We have to choose who we will serve. Ourselves in the world of porn, or face the reality of serving a real God. Which master will you serve?

P.S. www.xxxchurch.com is a great website with endless resources.
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